The country's artisans will come together to share ideas and knowledge, and to display their products

The 2005Lao handicraft festival will be held at the Lao International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre (Lao-ITECC) in Vientiane from 1 to 6 November.

The committee in charge of the festival announced this to the media yesterday at the Lao Journalist's Association office.

The Ministry of Industry and Handicraft, the Ministry of Commerce, the Lao Trade Promotion Centre, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Lao Handcrafts Association have come together to organise the festival for the fourth successive year.

Over 220 leading exhibitors are expected to display their latest products at the festival.

These will include household products, woven textiles, exotic wood, carpets, pottery and artificial flowers.

Some products from other countries will also be displayed.

, Mr Lieng Khamphoun, Director General of Handicrafts Department is in charge of the festival's organising committee.

He said that the department would announce special promotional offers on handicraft products at the festival.

On the second day of the festival a seminar will be hosted for the benefit of entrepreneurs interested in exporting handicrafts to other countries.

Experts will speak on diverse subjects at the seminar. These will include quality of production, pricing and international quality standards.

Mr Lieng said “We have announced the holding of this festival to the media because we want handicraft entrepreneurs and people who are interested in handicraft, throughout the country, to join this festival.”